Glutinous rice (Oryza sativa var. glutinosa; also called sticky rice, sweet rice or waxy rice) is a type of rice grown mainly in Southeast Asia and the northeastern regions of South Asia, which has opaque grains and very low amylose content and is especially sticky when cooked. It is widely consumed across Asia. It is called glutinous (Latin: glūtinōsus) in the sense of being glue-like or sticky, and not in the sense of containing gluten (which, like all rice, it does not). While often called sticky rice, it differs from non-glutinous strains of japonica rice, which also becomes sticky to some degree when cooked. There are numerous cultivars of glutinous rice, which include japonica, indica and tropical japonica strains.
History The origin of glutinous rice is difficult to ascertain because of its long-standing cultural importance across a wide geographical region in Asia. A 2002 genetic study discovered that the waxy mutation that disrupted amylose synthesis likely has a single origin. This is supported by the fact that all glutinous rice accessions in the study contain the same mutation. From comparisons of subsequent mutations in the different accessions in the study, it was found that the progenitor haplotype is highest among Southeast Asian glutinous rice cultivars, indicating strongly that the waxy mutation first arose in Southeast Asia, likely in the upland regions of Mainland Southeast Asia, before spreading to the rest of Asia. The waxy mutation is also known to have first arisen in temperate japonica rice, where it is far more common, before spreading to tropical japonica rice (javanica) and indica cultivars via gene flow.
Cultivation
Glutinous rice is cultivated in countries across Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and East Asia, including Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Northeast India, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines. In Laos, it is estimated that 85% of the rice produced is glutinous rice. As of 2013, the International Rice Genebank (IRGC) has preserved approximately 6,530 varieties of glutinous rice from five continents—Asia, South America, North America, Europe, and Africa. The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has referred to Laos as a "collector's paradise" for its remarkable diversity of glutinous rice. IRRI-trained collectors have gathered over 13,500 samples and 3,200 distinct varieties from Laos alone, making it home to the largest known biodiversity of sticky rice in the world.
Composition Glutinous rice is distinguished from other types of rice by having no (or negligible amounts of) amylose and high amounts of amylopectin (the two components of starch). Amylopectin is responsible for the sticky quality of glutinous rice. The difference has been traced to a single mutation that farmers selected. Like all types of rice, glutinous rice does not contain dietary gluten (i.e. does not contain glutenin and gliadin) and should be safe for gluten-free diets. Glutinous rice can be consumed milled or unmilled (that is, with the bran removed or not removed). Milled glutinous rice is white and fully opaque (unlike non-glutinous rice varieties, which are somewhat translucent when raw), whereas the bran can give unmilled glutinous rice a purple or black colour. Black and purple glutinous rice are distinct strains of white glutinous rice. In developing Asia, there is little regulation, and some governments have issued advisories about toxic dyes being added to colour-adulterated rice. Both black and white glutinous rice can be cooked as discrete grains or ground into flour and cooked as a paste or gel.
Use in foods
Glutinous rice is used in a wide variety of traditional dishes in different countries. They include the following:
Bangladesh Especially in the eastern regions (Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Sylhet areas) of Bangladesh, glutinous rice is known as binni chal (Bangla: বিন্নি চাল) or binni sôil (বিন্নি চইল) in Chittagong, both meaning "husked sticky rice" in Bangla. Both white and pink varieties are cultivated at many homestead farms. Unhusked sticky rice is called binni dhan. Boiled or steamed binni chal is referred to as binni bhat. Served with a curry of fish or meat, binni bhat is a popular breakfast. Sometimes, it is eaten simply with a splash of date palm sugar or jaggery, salt, and shredded coconut. Binni dhan is also used to make khoi (popped rice similar to popcorn) and chida (flattened, beaten rice). Many other sweet items, or types of pitha, made with binni chal are also popular in the region. One such pitha is atikka pitha. It is made with a mixture of cubed or thinly sliced coconut, white or brown sugar (specifically date palm sugar), ripe bananas, milk, and binni chal, all wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. A similar dessert is enjoyed throughout Southeast Asia, where it is known as khao tom mat in Thai, num ansom in Khmer, lepet in Indonesian, suman in Filipino, bánh tét and bánh chưng in Vietnamese, and khao tom in Lao. Another sweet dish is binni chaler patishapta pitha, a rolled rice crepe made using coarsely ground, hydrated glutinous rice flour. The rice flour is spread in a thin circular layer over a hot pan and filled with a mixture of grated coconut, palm sugar, and occasionally milk powder, then rolled into shape. A kind of rice porridge made from binni chal is known as modhu bhat, which literally means "honey rice". It is prepared by cooking binni chal in water for a prolonged period until soft, slightly blending it for a creamy consistency, and then topping it with shredded coconut. Sweeteners such as date palm sugar and honey are also added. Modhu bhat is a well-known traditional delicacy of the Chittagong area, often consumed during cooler months or as part of rural celebrations.
Cambodia
Glutinous rice is known as bay damnaeb (Khmer: បាយដំណើប) in Khmer. In Cambodian cuisine, glutinous rice is primarily used for desserts and is an essential ingredient for most sweet dishes, such as ansom chek, kralan, and num ple aiy.
China
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